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Illness

A collection of TED Talks (and more) on the topic of Illness.

Video playlists about Illness

What you need to know about medicine

A lot happens behind the scenes before medicine gets to you. Get a deeper understanding of the drugs and vaccines you may use with these compelling facts and figures.

Survivor’s wisdom

Powerful, perspective-shifting talks on what it means to live courageously.

The link between health and racism

Learn about the detrimental (and even deadly) impact racism has on our minds and bodies — and what society can do to heal and support the wellbeing of all.

Talks about Illness

Anna Rothschild

How exactly do inhalers work?

Emma Bryce

Is it really that bad to eat cookie dough?

Dan Taberski

The razor-thin line between contagion and connection

What’s the best way to treat the common cold?

Louise Thwaites

Why is it so dangerous to step on a rusty nail?

Krishna Sudhir

Why is Alzheimer’s disease so difficult to treat?

Hyunsoo No, Trudy Wu

How do doctors determine what stage of cancer you have?

Dan Kwartler

The diseases that changed humanity forever

See all talks on Illness

Exclusive articles about Illness

What doctors don’t learn about death and dying

Dying and death confront every new doctor and nurse. Are they trained to cope with mortality? A surgeon weighs in

Posted Nov 2014

What can we learn from how animals cope?

Author of the book Animal Madness, TED Fellow Laurel Braitman shares 5 ways in which animals and humans suffer from similar mental illnesses. Anthropomorphism run amok? You decide.

Posted Jun 2014

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